


"Can I stay here tonight?"

by cyn_00



Series: Tumblr fluff prompts [3]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Awkwardness, Cute, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Non-Canon Relationship, One Shot Collection, Originally Posted on Tumblr, POV Alternating, POV Derek, POV Spencer Reid, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Short One Shot, Sleepovers, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26462035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyn_00/pseuds/cyn_00
Summary: Tumblr: @cyn-00
Relationships: Derek Morgan & Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Series: Tumblr fluff prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922326
Comments: 4
Kudos: 104





	"Can I stay here tonight?"

_[Prompt list](https://cyn-00.tumblr.com/post/629097367256367104/blisfvll-prompt-list-an-phew-finally-finished) _ _(requests currently closed)_

[ _Link to the same fic on Tumblr_ ](https://cyn-00.tumblr.com/post/629241389211959296/fluff-28-can-i-stay-here-tonight-pretty-pls)

_This is n. 28 from "fluff"_

* * *

"NO way. Reid, seriously? _No_ way you watch this stuff for fun, come on!" Emily interrupted the quiet, talking over some archeologist rattling on about Pompeii on the TV.

Both Penelope and Derek burst in a laugh they seemed to have been holding for the past 20 minutes.

"It's extremely interesting and educational! You guys don't understand..." the genius pouted, burrowing further into the backrest of one of Morgan's armchairs and bringing his knees to his chest as if defending himself from potential physical attack of some sort - which was _always_ an option with Emily Prentiss in a ray of 20 ft from him.

"Alright, I'll give you 'educational', I don't know about 'interesting' though, kid." Morgan gave his opinion with a hint of good-hearted pity wrinkling his features, once he had regained breath from the laugh.

Reid glared at him, but Garcia exploded in a second squealing fit of giggles before he could retort in any way.

"Oh Boy Genius, _please_ don't ever change." she said with teary eyes.

Spencer nibbed his inner-cheek and tried to keep his eyes to the documentary, for some reason feeling like if he looked back at his friends he would spot at least _one_ of them analyzing the blush crawling up his neck.

Another 20 minutes and half a bowl of popcorn later, Emily _again_ intruded the silence.

"Alright, my friends," she exhaled, glimpsing at her wristwatch. "I should probably get home before I fall asleep on this very couch." she concluded, specifically sparing Reid a fond glance.

"Right, Penny?" Prentiss asked, turning her head to their almost dozing co-worker beside her.

"Mmh Emily Prentiss you _always_ come up with great ideas." the other woman mumbled, lifting her head from where it had fell back on the cushion. "No offense to you OR your documentaries of course, dear Doctor Handsome." she winked.

'Doctor Handsome' chuckled, shrugging. "None taken."

In the meantime, Emily had strolled to the coat hanger to grab both her and Penelope's jacket.

"Did I hear 'Doctor Handsome'? Hah! Now _that's_ new isn't it?" she mocked, making her way back to the living room.

Garcia snorted. "It's just a more FBI friendly way to say...how- how is it that you call him, Der-Der?"

Morgan's brows shot up as an amused smirk curved his lips. "Pretty boy? That what you're referring to?"

"Yes!" she snapped her fingers. "Yes, that's the one. It's the same thing, basically."

"Same _'vibe'_." Prentiss shot Morgan a teasing grin, air-quoting the word.

Even having silently witnessed all of that with wide eyes and burning cheeks - thank God the lights were low - Reid couldn't help but laugh at the woman's remark.

"Woah! Pretty boy, whose side are you on now??"

That didn't but make the volume of Penelope's cackling increase, drawing everyone's attention away from Spencer's ridiculously embarrassed facial expression.

"Ok you two, out of my sight or I call Clooney to kick you out!" the older man joked, standing to his feet and pointing toward the front door.

His female friends delivered a series of laughing _Ok, alright, calm down!_ before effectively exiting the house.

Derek came back to the living room, now gone completely silent from shortage of bickering and background talking of the TV.

"You gonna stick around a while longer, kid?" he asked gently, leaning with his shoulder against a wall cross-armed after having stared at the back of Reid's curly head for a minute - the only possible view that specific spot in the room supplied.

The genius - until then visibly lost in that big brain of his - put his feet back on the ground and turned around slightly to look at the man.

"Uhm, y-yeah..." he confirmed; although an unconvinced frown brought his eyebrows together.

Derek stood straight and dropped his arms to walk back to the couch.

"Reid...you don't _have_ to stay if you're tired, I was just asking." he reassured as he sat down, wearing the softest expression he could - though it wasn't _that_ hard of a task when talking to the quirky genius.

"No, I, I know! Of course that's- that's kind of the point..." the other trailed off, gazing down at his socks.

His explanation did little to nothing to clear Derek's mind. As a matter of fact, it probably messed it up even more - and it must have shown on his face.

"I mean that," Spencer cleared his throat. "I _actually_ meant to ask... **can I- m- _may_ I stay here tonight?** Maybe?"

Ah. So _that's_ what that was about.

The other man grinned, cocking his head to one side. "Yeah, kid, sure you can stay. You know you don't have to ask."

The sweet smile on Reid's face was nothing short of priceless.

"But, can I ask...why?"

Spencer gaped helplessly for a second.

"Is it 'cause you came here with the metro? You don't feel like taking it so late?"

"Oh, well...that didn't even cross my mind..." the younger man's pupils explored every inch of floor beneath his feet. "but anyway no, that's not the reason. It's that, ah..."

Derek saw him struggling. He leaned forward and reached a hand out to raise the man's chin; an unsaid _What is it, then?_ printed on his face.

"I'm just, having trouble sleeping lately." Spencer confessed in a murmur.

The worry in Morgan's expression was washed away, not by the fact that Reid was - probably - having nightmares, rather by the realization that his dear friend was comfortable telling him such.

"Ok. No problem." he said, raising to his feet once again.

"You can have the couch or the guest room. Or even my bed, I'll sleep on the floor." Derek added non-committally while walking toward the closet at the end of the hallway to fetch some blankets.

"Oh! N- no- the couch is fine. Absolutely fine." the other stuttered, hurrying to refuse the kind offer.

Derek smiled warmly as he came back into the room carrying several folded cotton items.

"Yeah, I know you have a preference for sleeping on couches."

The genius stood up and stepped closer to take the stuff Morgan was handing him, eyeing down at it intently.

"That's true." he admitted, nodding shyly.

And if Derek didn't mention how flushed the boy's cheeks were when he saw one of his t-shirts sitting atop the heap of blankets, it was only because if he _had_ , his face would've probably catched fire for real.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: @cyn-00


End file.
